Tensions rise as loyalists quit Good Friday Agreement

Tension in Ulster was heightened yesterday by the announcement of loyalist paramilitary group the Ulster Freedom Fighters that they were withdrawing from the Good Friday Agreement but maintaining their ceasefire.

The Progressive Unionist Party announced it would take no further part in the current negotiations,

David Trimble said that these developments had made talks at Weston Park more difficult.

He and SDLP leader Seamus Mallon were also critical of Mr Adams’ decision to leave the discussions for several hours to attend a speaking engagement in London last night.

Mr Trimble said: ‘‘It has been a long day and a difficult day which hasn’t been made any better by the decision by Gerry Adams to take the evening off and go to London to make a speech which has been most unhelpful.

"His speech which seems to indicate that the Republican movement isn’t going to face up to its responsibilities at this present moment.

’’I am sorry to have to say that we didn’t hear anything in the course of this evening to contradict that impression.’’

Mr Trimble said that the additional time allotted to the talks would allow Mr Adams and his Sinn Fein team to ‘‘reflect on the very serious responsibilities that they will carry if this process is lost because of their inactivity.

’’I hope by then we may see something more positive.’’

Gerry Adams insisted that Sinn Fein was fully committed to the Good Friday Agreement, but wanted all of its parts to be implemented and would not allow the issue of IRA weapons to overshadow those of police reform, human rights and demilitarisation.

He insisted: ‘‘We are not walking away from the process. We are not resigning. We are not making threats or ultimatums.

’’We are here until all this is sorted out.

’’Whatever the short term difficulties, it is my conviction that this process will work and all the contentious issues, including the one of weapons will be resolved.’’

He added: ‘‘We still have not the evidence that the British Government is prepared to go back to the Good Friday Agreement on these matters (of police reform and demilitarisation).

"He (Tony Blair) had come to this agreement from a Unionist perspective. The British Government have serious obligations which they need to deliver upon.’’

Mr Adam’s said that Mr Trimble’s comments ‘‘probably indicate the failure of the Unionist leadership to accept any responsibility for these problems and therefore to accept any responsibility for a solution to these problems.

’’In all of this period one problem that has to be factored in is the instability in Unionism and part of that problem is because they don’t have confidence in their own leadership.’’

Mr Mallon said it was impossible at this stage to say whether an agreement would be reached this week.

He said: ‘‘It has been a very long day, a very hard day, a very difficult day.

’’A lot of work has been done, a lot of very detailed work is being done. It is much too early to make an assessment as to what the outcome might be.

’’There are some cards clearly on the table, there are other cards not on the table, there are other cards possibly up people’s sleeves.

’’I don’t know until the last hand is played whether all those cards will be properly played.’’